Book Review. Charles Schumann - Bar Buch.

A “book review”.  “Charles Schumann Bar” or “Charles Schumann The American Bar, The Artistry of Mixing Drinks”. Illustrations by Gunter Mattel. Published originally in German by Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1991. In English by Abbeville Press (1995). Also published in Danish, Italian & Spanish.

Herr C. Schumann

Really, things have  gotten bad when I now must resort to a book review. I cannot say it's out of boredom with having to remain encapsulated in my home. Things could be worse! It is possible that I'd be at the Citadines’ Le Marais-Bastille AptHotel off Paris’ Boulevard Richard Lenoir. I daydream about that. Then,  I think well I wouldn't be going out to bars and I wouldn't be going out to restaurants. I might as well be here in my own “home bar, quaint fireplace, girlfriend across from me”. But I digress.  

I must be infatuated with this guy, Charles Schumann. 

Schumann's Bar am Hofgarten
Odeonsplatz, München

In thinking about this man, as I write or prepared to write about this, I admire his artistry. How he takes that artistry and combines it with his entrepreneurial spirit to accomplish the things he does. Such as a world famous and recognized bar. Not only one bar, but he creates a second bar upstairs from the main bar, Le fleurs du mal. Not only that, but as you enter the establishment, you first come to espresso café; its the Camparino..  And then to make matters worse he's got a little Espresso Bar "Better Day" called Schumann's Tagesbar, just down the street, very close to the center of town.

Tagesbar

Furthermore, he collaborates with the German glass maker Schott Zwiesel for a line of Schumann glassware. 

Campari Cardinal Red Bottles

Not enough? You say.  I thought that'd be an interesting thing to interject here - his collaboration with a very unusual and not extremely well-known aperitif, the Italian Campari. When you visit his bar in München I think the first thing you notice, as you look towards behind the bar, is the top shelf with row after row after row of 

Cardinal Red Campari bottles. 

Did I mention the movie? Ja, 
Yes, he has a movie that he stars in, “Schumann’s Bar Talks.” 

So, when I did my original research for the pseudo interview with him, I took note that he'd written a book, it was one of those typical assemblies of recipes. Not so. I won't drop names BUT, Patron (boss)  Marcel DESAULNIERS, another world-famous chef, it is reported he is said to say, “a recipe is a guide to go by”.   I am taken with the comment attributed to Marcel. 

So, I broke down and bought an English version for my bar library. It arrived. It was nice.  It appears to be a first edition. “Special!" It was of course the ever-present recipes for drinks. It's quite contemporary for being published in 1991 (Schumann's Barbuch, Munich Heyne.) 

However, as I leafed through the book, I was astounded to see how it serves as a resource guide. 

When you turn to page 201 there is a category of content, such as types of cocktails.  The range is extraordinary - from aperitifs to alcoholic cocktail drinks with everything between cropping up. For example, coladas, digestifs, eggnogs, fizz, to low alcohol drinks & nonalcoholic drinks. Sours, too! That's just a sample of the few drink categories he covers. And if you thought because this book was published in 1991 that he was not aware of Cachaça drinks? Stop right there. He covers that. And following that category, he goes on there too explain drinks for southern Europe or, the all-American drinks. Then he explains digestifs. 

His drink index is not only alphabetical, but he categories the drinks in sub-categories.  Further on, he has a section of the book categorized by components. Either in the English or  German languages his presentation is “mystique”.  

Mr. Schumann concludes his book with sections on Artistry, Bar Equipment and Glassware, Terminology and the Bartender. And a tender recognition to Bärbel Lamprechter. 

You can read more of Charles at 
http://spiritsnob.blogspot.com/2017/05/charles-schumann-schumanns-bar-munchen.html
and send me a note and i can forward to you a comprehensive list of all of Charles Schumann's honors and accomplishments.

Aufwiedersehen Charles!

_________________________ 

WHAT! He even has a line of Port!

Cocktail

Signora Negroni

Gin    2/3 oz
Sake 1/3 oz
Vermouth Cocchi Vermouth di Torinio (red, dry or sweet) 2/3 oz. 
Stir in a mixing glass on cube of ice and pour into a cocktail coupe. Shake the 2/3 oz. of Campari on cube of ice cream until foamy/creamy, then float slowly over the spirits in the coupe.

Music -  Schumann's Salon Music - Prima Carezza

Appetizer - Boiled potatoes sprinkled with  Parmesan and Parsley

Here's to you Charles.

Herr Charles Schumann
mit einer "Signora Negroni" Cocktail.

Anerkennung:  Ich möchte mich herzlichst beim Herrn Anton Harrasser von der Schumann Gastronomie

 bedanken für seine Unterstutzüng mit diesem Blog/Projekt.  

Photography - Courtesy of Charles Schumann.